VILLAINESS [TWD]

➴21

Rick's plan was brutal and bloodthirsty.

Tyreese's was formal and official-like.

Daryl backed up Tyreese and so Ellie did the same.

The new plan was a trade- far from Rick's stealthy 'infiltrate and kill' idea. Instead, they would lure a couple officers out and safely take them. Do no harm to the officers and let it be knows they're in the group's custody.

Daryl and Rick brought three officers back. Daryl shot Ellie a half smile and she lights up as she read his mind. Three is better than two.

Ellie sat at the top of a parking garage while everyone made moves. She wanted to help more but Rick assured her that she was fine just being there. Beth would be excited to see her first once they got inside. When she gave a doubtful face, Rick sent in Noah as a reinforcement.

"It's pretty screwed up. I called it 'redneck bullshit'," Ellie continues telling Noah.

"Sweet Home Alabams if I've ever heard it," Noah jokes.

Ellie giggles. "Beth doesn't know. When we get back to the church, I'm gonna call her Aunt Beth just to see her get confused!"

"Come on," Noah playfully scolds. "You gotta tell her right after, though."

"I will!" Ellie swears. "It's gonna be cool. We didn't have aunts or uncles, really.. We get to be aunt and niece. It's like we unlocked a new level of family."

Noah chuckles but shrugs in agreement. "She talked about you a lot. She's gonna be real happy to see you."

"Not as happy as I'm gonna be to see her!"

Boah nudges Ellie's arm, dropping to a whisper. "Just remember, you get to hold this over her head for a long time."

"Hold what?"

Noah cracks a smile. "That you helped save her, duh!"

"Blackmail!"

"Exactly!" Noah cheers and the pair trade a hogh five.

The radio that they'd gotten from the officers ceackles on Noah's side with Tyreese's serious voice. "Noah."

Noah scrunches his node ay Ellie, excusing himself.

Ellie rests her arms on the concrete, looking over the landscape of Atlanta. It was a wasteland. Ellie had never seen so much destruction and carnage. Atlanta made the fall of the farm look peaceful.

Noah returns after a few seconds, a glum look on his face.

"Something wrong?" Ellie asks.

Another thing she liked about Moah is he didn't treat her like a kid. That was pribably because they were closer in age, but Ellie still felt heard when they spoke.

"One of rhe officers knocmed Sasha out. Rick teied to stop him but he wouldn't work with him. He had to kill him."

Ellie hums. "Three is better than two.. But, two for two is still equal, right?"

Noah tilts his head back and forth. "Yeah."

Ellie didn't like his hesitation. "But, one down ztill looks bad on our part, huh."

Noah gives her a sad look and nods.

--

Rick was the one to put himself forward and speak to the officers that came looking for the two they already had. After nearly an hour, Ricm gives the signal for the group to come down. The plan was working.

It was time to make the trade.

"Hey.. I wanna thank you," Ellie tells the woman officer.

"Me?" she questions.